Scottish Cake - this ready rubbed flake is a great favorite for young and old. Dark brown in its color the seasoned pieces may directly be tampered into the pipe or even lightly rubbed become to a Honeydew. Produced from a mixture of Eastern Carolina, Kentucky and Middle Belt, that are pressed for several weeks. A very popular tobacco and very slow in its burning.

Notes: From the Kohlhase & Kopp website: "Hand rubbed flake of dark Virginia and Kentucky with a pinch of Perique"

Presentation is lovely medium and dark brown, thin-sliced, broken flakes. An amazing tin note of fig and raisin over a foundation of sweet, bready Virginias. There's not a hay note here as much as a strong aroma of molassed sweet feed - a very distinct and very delicious smell, with the bready Virginia aromas sprinkled over the top of the molasses foundation. This is among my favorite tin notes of any tobacco blend. The VAs here remind me of Royal Yacht: a freshly baked white loaf with some subtle sugar. Delicious. I get little to no Kentucky tang in the tin note, but the molasses element may be a function of the Kentucky.

The broken flakes were a bit moist and sticky (in that natural tobacco way, rather than drug store, PG-laden stickiness) despite having spent just over a year in my tobacco cabinet. I prefer my tobacco on the dryer side so I set a bowl's worth aside to dry for about an hour.

The charring light brought an initial flavor of stewed fruit - a more subtle version of what I get from Marlin Flake. So the Perique used here begins as more on the fruity side rather than the peppery side of the flavor spectrum. But the overall Perique presence is very mild; it was definitely used as a condiment in this blend rather than a leading actor.

The Virginias here are very smooth, and not as quite as sugary as the tin note would suggest. While I couldn't initially smell the Kentucky, I can definitely taste it. There is a subtle Kentucky tang that interplays fantastically with the Virginias. Again, the Kentucky here is more of a supporting act - not quite as overt as those of, say, GL Pease's Cumberland.

By mid-bowl, this blend really shines. All of the flavors merge so harmoniously: sweet Virginias, tangy Kentucky, plummy Perique. Despite being tinned on the wet side, after some dry time and by mid-bowl, Scottish Cake delivers thick clouds of creamy smoke with absolutely no bite. Unlike many sipper's blends, Scottish Cake is very forgiving of heavy puffers. I should add that despite the initially moist tobacco, after some dry time this blend burned straight through after a charring and then true light, with only one re-light required.

Interestingly, in the final third of the bowl there are some peppery notes from the Perique. This is one of those rare blends that showcases both sides of the Perique flavor spectrum: stewed fruit at the onset and a hint of spice towards the close. But as much as the Kentucky and Perique add to this blend, the real stars in my opinion are the Virginias. You just can't make a great VaPer or VaBurPer blend without smooth, kind Virginias.

Overall, this is a very smooth and harmonious blend with the constituent tobaccos each playing their part flawlessly. Those diehard VaPer aficionados should be aware, however, that this is a relatively mild Perique blend. And that's ok: not every VaPer needs to be a "Perique bomb". This is simply a superb blend showcasing what a talented blender is capable of: balance, flavor, subtlety, and creamy deliciousness.

Robert McConnel Scottish Cake . Brilliant ! The actual unlit tobacco is great , being of a good moistness and a nice and robust appearance , it takes only a gentle final rub to prepare it for filling . Once the bowl is loaded it is incredibly easy to light up and the burn is very steady and slow . It gives off a wonderful smoke where you get a nice calm taste of the Virginia with a very pleasing spicy note from the Perique , which is nice as it is not too prominent in the mix but allows you to appreciate the Virginia's "hay" like quality . Nicotine level is good for me as it is not one to make your head spin nor is it unnoticeable , just right and you can easily inhale it with no problems . It doesn't bite me , even if I strain harshly . In my opinion it is the nicest Va/Per out there !

I do enjoy a good Va/Per, and this is one, with a little kentucky added. Upon opening the tin, I was greeted with a sweet raisin aroma and a sticky ready rubbed mush of tobacco. If there is one thing that knocks this one down a notch, it is the obvious saucing(frosting?) of this cake with some sugary/sweet topping. The tobacco fresh out of my tin was downright sticky gooey and smoking it fresh was not very pleasant. The fresh bowl burns a bit hot and the flavor is a bit sharp. It needs to breathe for a couple hours or so. I set it out on a plate and gave it a toss from time to time until I felt the stickiness had aired out/dried. Now we are getting somewhere. It does burn cool but not particularly slow. Little bite. Good flavor, enough to keep me interested. The first third is a bit over sweet, that sugary topping coming through in the first part of the bowl, with some perique spicyness. Once through that, the natural virginia sweetness shines and there is a taste of the Kentucky hiding in the background along with the perique spice. The Kentucky does come through in the nic hit, which is decent. This would be better without the over-saucing but it is still good. Good enough to buy a bunch? Jury is still out...

Update: Having smoked through a fair amount if this, the jury is in! Placed a large order when it came in stock. This is a great tobacco for me. Molasses sweetness mixed with perique spiciness and the kentucky gives it the kick I like. I dry it for about 6-8 hours out of the tin, then it is good to go.

Update: I have a bunch of jars of different tobaccos open, and every time I have a jar of the cake open, it is gone before I know it. Without a doubt my personal favorite, my desert island tobacco, all day every day.

The Virginias have a pinch of grass and some earth notes, which a little natural sweetness and tang, the latter provided mostly by the red Va. There is a hint of dried fruit, too. The Kentucky adds a much needed moderate boost, though it's not obvious in every puff. The perique is more plum than pepper, and is lightly added. There's a sweet topping that sort of melds the components together, sublimating some of the complexity that could have been here. It's a nice all day smoke, but it lacks the variety of flavors one often associates with a Scottish blend. Deserves two and a half stars.

Rummaging the cellar last night and looking for something to add to my rotation, this orange labeled tin caught my eye. Hmmm, a Va/Per with Kentucky. I can't remember when I bought this (or the other tin of the same there, for that matter), so it's probably at least a couple-three years old, maybe older. What the hell, I grabbed it and popped the tin.

The tin aroma is of rich tobacco and a gentle, molasses-like sweetness. Described as ready rubbed, the ribbons are a mixture of light, medium and dark brown; a bit moist, so I dried a bowlful for 20 minutes. It packed easily without further rubbing. The char and light went very well. There's more than a pinch of red virginias (virginia forward) and a good amount of white burleys in this, which is fine by me; the perique, as stated on the tin, is "a pinch" -- just enough. The processing of the tobaccos leaves for this cake has produced and amazing result, since the cake appears to have been left to rest after pressing, absorbing the remaining juices; this results in the "broken cake" in this tin having that same remarkable sweetness from the tin aroma present throughout the smoke. I sipped it slowly -- no bite at all. A little bit of spice (the perique) and nuttiness (from the burleys).

I wouldn't say this blend is complex, but consistently even and well balanced throughout. It smokes evenly leaving dry white ash in my R.C. Sands egg -- no dottle.

I received my tin of Scottish Cake already opened and the leaf was still sopping wet. I took out a wad, dried it a bit and loaded up. For the next bowl I think I'll let the leaf get darn near crispy before trying it. Maybe that will improve the flavor. This tobacco is also a "tweener." It arrived somewhat between a broken flake and a ribbon cut. I rubbed it out fully before drying, loading and lighting.

Scottish Cake had a unique taste that only somewhat appreciated. I see where this is a big hit with most of the reviewers here but I am scratching my dome over why. It did not match up with my body chemistry at all and left my palate feeling somewhat violated.

A positive note; even though the leaf was a bit moist when I smoked my half bowl, it stayed lit well.

Wow, Was I fooled and pleasantly surprised with this blend. I thought I had ordered RM's Oriental and never realized I had the wrong blend until I was halfway done with the tin. This blend was so good , I never realized my mistake nor was I trying to look for "What's Wrong" with this blend, it was all good.

Upon looking at the components ( Va., Kentucky and Perique ) I would have expected a bit of heat/spice, but this is dark, smooth and sweet. This Perique just stays in the background. It reminds me of Mac Barens HH Old Dark Fired, but the Kentucky stays more in the background than does the Burley of the Mac Baren's. Perhaps it's closer to Reiner's 71 "Long Golden Flake", but I think this is tastier. I'll throw one more out there ( it's been a few years ) , Solani 660 Silver flake.

If you like dark sweet Virginias with NO bite and never bitter, you got to try this ( the Perique & Kentucky just come along for the ride providing some "N" and base) . I could be moving this to my "Favorites"

Agree with reviewer "Deleted Account (574)" , in that this is a great change from Latakia

McConnell Scottish Cake is one of my favorites. I absolutely adore the stuff. To me, it's perfectly balanced and so tasty. A base of slightly sweet Virginia like warm, freshly baked bread, with just enough Perique to give sharp contrast and definition without paralyzing your tongue, and then the Kentucky comes in from another angle to provide depth and bring it all together. A fantastic smoke.

I find myself smoking Scottish Cake much more often now that I'm becoming less interested in smoking Latakia blends all the time.

Smells great in the tin. Reminds me of fruitcake. The room note is nice too. I actually get compliments on it occasionally, which is somewhat unusual for a non-aromatic.

I dry it out some and then rub it in my fingers to break it up a little, because I tend to pack lightly and smoke in sips. My pipe is nearly always right on the verge of going out. This makes some tobacco frustrating to keep lit, but Scottish Cake burns well for me.

If it's a Perique blast you're looking for, you won't find it in Scottish Cake. It's in there, you can taste it and feel the tingle on the tongue, but it's in no way overwhelming.

I really like this one. The Virginias are fruity and sweet with an occasional wine-like note. I wouldn't say the Perique is light, more light to medium and providing ample spice and figgy notes. The DFK is light providing only a hint of it's flavor and some depth. Very, very nice. A little more aging might make those wine-like notes a bit more pronounced.

Mild to medium in body. Medium in flavor. Needs to be rubbed out a little and some drying time. Great, relaxing smoke.

Edited REVIEW: I just have to bump this up to 4 stars, I'm glad to say I now very much 'get this blend'. I love it's chocolate sweetness with its grassy taste along side it. Good strength, nice in the tin, a must have in the cellar. A great Va/perq

I bought this as it is so highly considered by 'experienced' smokers. Then I thought 'what the hell are they on about'. Halfway true the tin I am beginning to see. For me it has improved over the months the tin has been opened. Presently I smoke it in my University Flake pipe, when I am not in the mood for that flake, and, I sometimes mix it with J.Fox's Dorisco to ease the bitterness (in my latakia pipe). The aroma has grown a bit more chocolatey as it has aged, but that cut grass, summer hay flavour is still there, and, that I don't quite get. Good tobacco, good quality, interesting, different, more for the experience smoker though.

Ebay tin dated 1/12. Probably the best-behaved tobacco I've smoked yet. The leaf is a spongy, moist lump in the tin, and I adore the tin note: sweet feed, oats, raisins and hay. The mushiness of the tobacco lends itself well to my preferred style of packing, a fussy, modified Frank method. And mechanically, it's almost a perfect smoke. I didn't even use a charring light to get it up and running. The plug up top burned slow and steady, with a plentiful but wispy smoke that disappeared quickly in the fall wind.

Only problem is that it's boring. The oats and sweet feed disappear quickly and the perique comes rushing in, hot and spicy. Slowing down the cadence helps some, but I think age is not kind to this blend. The dominating taste is of burning woodchips, a bit of plum and smoke. The perique is just too much. I've smoked and enjoyed other mixtures with perique, so I don't think it's me, though I know I don't have much tolerance for the stuff. Maybe it is me. I loved the Virginias in here, and if there was a straight Virginia version, it would probably become my go-to smoke. As it is, the Virginias tempt me to dig deeper, but when I do, the perique rears its head and makes the experience go from great to passable.

Everything else was perfect: I got almost an hour out of two-thirds of a bowl and didn't have to relight once. The bowl never burned hot and the leaf never turned bitter- unless I pushed the perique. I liked the nicotine levels: just enough to feel something, with no queasiness or head spin. It's just me. I'm interested in trying a fresh tin, and would unreservedly recommend this to anyone with more tolerance for perique than myself.

Smooth, sweet and plummy, with no trace of topping or flavoring. Just enough citrus to keep your taste buds perked up. Slow burning, yet producing a large volume of luscious smoke. The Kentucky leaf takes it out of the VaPer genre, but Vaper aficionados simply must try this.

Age When Smoked: 1 yr in the tin

Similar Blends: Better than, but similar to: SG/Spring Time Flake; Brigham Acadian Blend; Mac Baren HH Acadian Perique; ...and also better than just about any other VaPer I can recall at the moment.

I smoked this in the 1980s and it was a great tobacco...I smoked it again recently, it is still a great tobacco. Beautiful tin note, raisins and honey. Smokes really well all through the bowl. The blender may have changed but this is just as good as the original.

Unfortunately for me, this review is based on a sample only. About four bowls, if you're counting.

Scottish Cake is a blend I can easily see me smoking all day...heaven forbid. It has enough strength, enough sweetness, and enough snork (Perique), to keep me interested. It also can be smoked mindlessly without fear of your palate being taxed, tongue bite, etc. It has the right mix to accomplish both. That is something I thoroughly enjoy. The more blends I attempt, the closer I've come to the personal conclusion that Va/burs are the way to go for an all around smoke...the rarefied highs of a good VA, without the necessary attention to detail, and the down to earth goodness of burley, without the ensuing 'meh' boredom and bitters. The trick is getting the benefits of both, while minimizing their negatives. I don't know if it is the Perique saving the day here, but Scottish Cake succeeds. I honestly shouldn't crow about this until I've smoked a steady diet of it, but too late!

When I first cracked the seal on the tin I was reminded of opening a bag of sweet feed...any horse people know the smell. Not overwhelming and it was gone fast. I set a bowlfull out to breathe for about 20 minutes or so, as the tin states it is ready rubbed, and packed very easily and burned very slowly, my bowl lasted a good 1 and a half hours with a few minutes here and there to cool and then a relight.

I really enjoy Va/Pers and this is now firmly at the top of the list...I'm glad I ordered 2 tins!

This just about knocked my socks off. It was the first tobacco I tasted that cemented me in pipe smoking. It's fruity, sweet, toasty, and goes perfect outdoors with a campfire. I think a nice glass of Laphroaig complements it quite well.

If you're choosing between this and Scottish Flake, go with this.

EDIT: this just gets better with time. I have a good amount of blends laying around but when I have a tin of this it disappears fast. I need to find somewhere reliable to buy this in bulk. Will ask the pipe store next time I'm there.

I have been smoking Scottish Cake for years and in the tin it smells sweet and full. The somewhat thick sliced plug provides deep flavor, with the Perique suppling the raisin and plum notes. The Kentucky adds some body and strength, but it is far from forward. I can’t help but compare this to Hal O’ the Wynd, a favorite of mine, as they both contain Virginia, Perique and Kentucky. But Scottish Cake contains a topping that, while pleasant, has me reaching for HOTW much more often for better tobacco flavor. SC burns cool, even when pushed, but the manually added sweetness keeps it from being an everyday smoke for me. Flavor wise, it’s pretty straightforward, only deepening in flavor and sweetness as the bowl progresses. There are more bass notes than high notes to the Virginias. There is a bit of a caramel note too (not to be confused with the candy). I do find that the Perique gains a small amount of pepper in the later stages of the bowl. Aging this blend only serves to deepen the sweet flavor which isn’t a bad thing! I have one remaining tin that was made by McConnell (verses K&K) that if I remember I will update the difference here. All in all, SC is a decent and enjoyable blend, but often leaves me wanting more tobacco flavor.

I am usually very suspicious with any tobacco being made in Denmark, whether English or not, but this might be the exception that proves the rule. The tin note is sort of vinegary with an undertone of hay, which is something that reminds me of many Gawith Hoggarth blends. I have let my tobacco out of the tin for 24 hours before packing my pipe as the moist content seems to be quite high. This tobacco has a broken flake appearance, packs easily in your bowl, and does not seem to require many relights. If you are for Kentucky/Burley blends paired with Virginia tobaccos, you might as well find this particular one interesting because of its Perique content. The Kentucky content will become more and more apparent the more you smoke, but the Virginia is always there providing this sweet undertone to it. Quite in contradiction with what you would have expected from a tobacco with this characteristics, the strength/taste of this tobacco is rather mild, so I recommend it as a morning blend. I cannot detect any tongue bite and its subdued sweetness keeps me wondering every now and then. Also, it does not seem to burn hot in your bowl, which is a bonus. And I think it is important to mention this tobacco is really good value for money as well. Selling at ϵ11 for a 100 grams tin, you definitely get more bang for your bucks, so if you are looking for good quality tobacco without breaking the piggy-bank, you should probably give this one a go. Based on my initial impressions, this tobacco is going to get 3 stars, but I might upgrade to 4 stars later on if I think it is worth it. For now, it is doing really well, but let's see how I get on with it in the long term.

I don't remember why I bought this one. Maybe it just sounded good reading the description.

In the tin it looks nice enough. Very fragrant, dates, raisins, bread and maybe molasses. Very moist, but it dries quickly enough. Whatever treatment it has is natural as far as I can tell. It burns better for me rubbed out fully, but works well in its ready rubbed form. It gave me a little tongue issue when I smoked it too damp and a it too fast the first time.

Very tasty. Sweet, but with a nice body to it. The darker elements play a nice supporting roll. The perique starts out very fruity and finishes nice and peppery. Very good blend that changes through the course of the bowl. May have to get some more for cellaring. Nice nic content to it, not too strong though. Could be an all day smoke.

This is a good tobacco, but not so excellent as I read. First of all it isn’t a Va/Per but a simply top natural mixture Virginia/Kentucky. I really think there isn’t any Perique in it and even if there is a little pinch it is uninfluential. The taste is a classic Virginia Kentucky and nothing else. However, I believe there is something better in the market. I mean this is a quite good tobacco, but nothing more. If you are looking for a classic top natural mixture with basis tobaccos (without seasoning and flavoring and without Latakia) you have to orient yourself towards Peterson Irish Flake or Samuel Gawith Brown n°4. In my personal rating (from 1 to 10) my score is 7 and two stars.

This is a decent blend. A ready rub more than a cake, this tobacco burns slow. Flavorwise, there is a lot of Virginia mid-range, and a bit of bass from the Kentucky. I find the perique a bit subdued in this blend. Overall, I think this blend lacks sweetness, and can be a little...hollow. There is an earthiness to Scottish Cake that is pleasant, but can be a bit overwhelming without sweetness to round the edges. All in all, a pleasant tobacco, but not quite a great one...

Was reading a discussion elsewhere on the merits of this vs. Scottish Flake. Since I really like the flake I felt I needed to try this as well. Well, my thanks to the folks who caught my interest with their discussion!

There's no doubt that this is very different from the flake, but I'm hard-pressed to tell exactly how. If I had to pin it down, I'd say it's deeper, more flavorful, but still gentle on the tongue and palate. I'm smoking it in a cob right now, can't wait to try it in a briar or a meer. If you haven't tried either of these, you owe it to yourself to do so. Immediately!

This is another tobacco I just didn't get. It wasn't bad but nothing really shined out to me in it. In fact I found it plain boring. I tried this in several different pipes but just couldn't get this one to do anything for me. Perhaps I'll revisit this again in the future.

Dark Virginia and Kentucky with some Perique. The Kentucky taste is straightforward with the Virginias in the background. Now the Perique gives even more body and strength to an already potent English mixture. This is my kind of tobacco when I need a buzz of nicotine while still enjoying a full bodied blend. A must for natural tasting, Kentucky driven mixture aficionados.

This is a great tobacco blend. I can smoke it any time of the day. It has a natural tobacco taste. It burns evenly, with not many re- lights. It's slow smoking. The taste is mellow with no bite. It is all-around a great smoke. Esoterica's Dunbar and McConnell's Scottish Cake are now my two favorite blends. My only criticism is that in the US, I have only found it in 50g tins. I wish I could buy this in bulk, or at least a larger tin.

Year after year I keep going back to this mellowy wonderful blend. The balance is excellent with the Burleys and Perique. It has always reminded me of Autumns long ago. This is almost rubbed out flake. Lights nicely,tastes like aged mellow naturaly sweet tobacco goodness. One of my all time favorites!

I like it and have been buying it in ten tin batches over the last few months. Great VAPER with nice balance on the perique. No tongue bite and just the right 'N' kick for me - it packs a punch. I do like to rub-it up a bit more because I find it smokes better. I also let the tin breath for a good few hours after opening

I often knock K & K for the relpica work the've done on many traditional English tobaccos, but I 'tip my hat to them' on this blend. Interestingly, it has reduced my monthly desire to try at least two new blends as I keep comming back to it weke-in; week-out.

If you're a VAPER man like me - and like a nicotine slap rather than a punch - it's a must try!

I'm reviewing this tobacco again with my 2nd tin of this tobacco....five years later.

Presentation in the tin is quite a nice crumbled cake. Reminds me of the look of Hal'o'The Wynd. Smells figgy, earthy, dried fruit sweetness and a bit of hay. Its a bit wet in the tin, but that doesn't seem to detract from packing it, lighting it, etc...

Packs well into any of the several pipes I've smoked it in. Lights well with just one match. This blend seems to require some light tamping from time to time, but behaves quite well.

The smoke is also reminiscent of HoTW, but just by a little. It gives a nice amount of smoke with flavors of bread, earth, and the typical virginia hayishness. This smoke is only slightly sweet and I would even say it has a 'salty' flavor to it. Sometimes hints of cigar and spice come to visit the palate. It's an enjoyable smoke, but not as smooth (a bit more harsh) as HoTW and not as sweet. It's flavors are not overpowering and are quite pleasant to enjoy. It's a smoke that doesn't require a lot of contemplation and gives quite a kick. There is something about the flavor profile, specifically the finish, that is off-putting to me. I have a hard time putting my finger on it. There is an unpleasant sour note on the aftertaste that just strikes me wrong, otherwise I would rate this tobacco much higher.

I like this blend because it is gentle on my tongue. I'm very susceptible to tongue bite and I get almost none from Scottish Cake. I think the acidity of the perique helps to balance the pH of the smoke. That's probably why I enjoy vapers so much.

There is good depth of flavor here. The perique is pretty subdued but I like where it "sits" in the overall balance. It's not as sharp when exhaling through the nose as in some other vapers. Every once in a while though, it will make itself known and my eyes will tear up. I like that though. I think that's part of being a perique freak.

The Virginia tobacco has a nice sweetness. It's a little dull, but others may say that it is "nuanced". Whatever. There is a slight grassy flavor to it and it is very pleasant.

There is a little bit of a nicotine kick here and I'm guessing you can thank the Kentucky tobacco for that.

Delayed gratification technique works well with Scottish Cake. I typically smoke half a bowl on the way to work, dump out some ash when I get to work and then enjoy the other half a bowl on the way home. Needless to say, the smoke on the way home is superior to the smoke on the way to work. Of course, that could also be attributed to the fact that I'm done with work for the day and I'm in a better mood.

I'm basing this review off a tin that sat in a drawer, unopened, for over a year. I did try a "new" tin once. I don't remember my impressions exactly, but they must not have been all that great as I didn't feel a need to say anything nice about it.

This is a very nice blend. It has a lean to the earthy side of Vapors which is enjoyable, but you still find that sweet and tangy Vapor flavor. Another point some of you will appreciate, if you tend to forget to pace yourself, is that one can puff away without getting seared tongue. I am very sensitive to any kind of topping but whatever is used here is extremely light.

I would describe Scottish Cake as a nice combination of other Vapors with a touch of the old Murray's Dunhill Elizabethan.

This is an outstanding VaPer. It's definitely one of those that really jumps right out and asserts itself. Tons of flavor, very tasty, easy to pack, light, and smoke, well behaved in the pipe. Ranks right up there with the best, certainly one of the top five VaPer IMHO. If you like VaPer and haven't tried this, you should.

Hmmm! I have this tendency to refer to this as Escudo Light, and I can't seem to shake it. The tobacco appears to be Escudo, but not in coin form, but more like someone haphazardly rubbed out the coins somewhat. The flavor, too, is Escudo Light. The sweetness of Escudo is subdued, the perique zest is subdued and the overall blast of flavor is subdued.

That said, this is a fine tobacco on its own. There is a burley (or Kentucky) body to this blend, but it is also subdued. The virginia becomes more prominent down the bowl but there is an initial wisp of VA sweetness just at the match. The perique stays in the background.

If you've tried Escudo and found it too sweet or too heavy or too something-or-other, give this a try. It might just have tamed whatever you didn't like in the former. I'll stick with Escudo, thanks. No real need to revisit this one.

I can't say that I like. I have come to the conclusion that probably I do not like the interaction between Kentuky and Perique. Despite this I have nothing to rely on the quality of this blend, as most reviewers have noted this tobacco burns very slowly and appears without flavoring though casing is very evident.

I didn't think I liked this tobacco when I first tried it. Somehow, it didn't seem worth my time in the face of so many 4 star offerings. However, this really found a place with me on the golf course. I can smoke the hell out of it for four hours and be very satisfied. Oddly, my favorite stronger, more sublime tobaccos like stonehaven seem to lose their appeal in this environment. This is a very fine smoke, and I will keep it in the rotation for on-the-go enjoyment.

It is a broken flake and ribbon cut tobacco altogether. I never managed to smoke a whole bowl, because it got very muddy in the end. It didn?t cause any tongue biting, and although I kept it in the cellar for at least a year, I can? say I enjoyed any amazing taste. It is a smooth but also very flat tobacco.

I almost forgot that it has some good points: it burns slowly and it has a nice scent in the box as well as in the room.

This is my second Va/per experience after having tried escudo.. so my knowledge on how this rates by comparison to other tobaccos may be somewhat limited.. But I will give my thoughts as sometimes a beginner's mind can be helpful.. My first reaction is to how marvelous this tobacco smells in the tin.. very fruity - kind of plum like.. not at all what i was expecting. Very moist.. this is a tobacco that really tempts you even before being smoked.. the texture is very coarse as it would be when you break down a flake in your hand.. I like it - very easy to handle and load into your pipe.. I pack it with my own variation on the frank method.. I prefer not to tamp too much - but this tobacco burns so well that not much relighting and tamping seem to be required.. my first reaction is that there are more flavors going on in this than in escudo (don't get me wrong i love the earthiness of escudo) - i think you pick up more on the virginias and kentucky than the perique at first.. i am also getting a slight fruitiness.. after a few more puffs a richer choclatey flavor is emerging.. now i am getting more earthiness.. the rest of the smoke is just pure pleastness.. I like this a lot - a nice mellow yet satisfying flavor.. I would highly recommend to other beginners..

I just received a sample of this from a very nice man in one of my forums just today. I got out one of my favorite billiards and loaded it up anxiously to try a new blend of Virginia and perique that he highly recommended to me. I have pretty much been a burley smoker and light English, and want to develop my taste for virginias and my taste for them to date just has not developed yet as they scald my tongue. But this heavenly mixture is light on the scald and it really reminds me of my old Amphora Brown but with the perique zing. I have smoked two bowls thus far and have enjoyed both tremendously. And...miracle of miracles...my wife came out on my back porch where I was smoking it and said that it smells good and not heavy and said...you need to smoke that one more! She never likes my pipe smoke. So bless the man that sent me this and I am off to order a stash of it!

When it comes to Kentucky, I suffer from Terminal Ambivalence unless it has RL Will's fingerprints all over it. I can only handle it in very small doses, and the Virginias and/or Perique need to be the main players.

This is top quality weed, but just didn't float my boat. I gave the remainder of the tin to a friend and he loves it.

This blend takes be back to times in Autumn when the tree's are abalze with colour. In the tin this blend smells like autumn should smell. Ripe Virginias, lightly sweet, partially broken flake.

In the pipe it burns slow and lazily, bringing sweet virginia clouds of joy. It has a rounded taste that is balanced, not vinegary virginia that I detect in some. I believe this blend is aged before it ever sees the tin.

If one were to take my pipe tobacco but allow me to keep just one tin, it would be this one I'd chose to keep.

**maboman hit it right on the horse's head when he said that this blend reminded him of sweetfeed.

The review below is part of a VaPer Showdown that I conducted between several VaPer blends:

I got the tin the other day and I immediately cracked it open and took a whiff. Mmmm, it smelled like the sour fruitiness of the Virginias and the peppery spice of the Perique. I think that I read somewhere that this might have a small amount of burley mixed in there for good measure. It is a course cut flake and I rubbed it out a little more to help with drying. The appearance is kind of a red, and light and dark browns (mostly dark brown). I let it air out and dry for about 15-20 minutes and then loaded it up into my Peterson Bent Bulldog.

Right off of the bat this was a great tasting blend. Lighting was extremely easy with only one false light. As the bowl progressed, the flavor got fuller and fuller and leveled out at about a medium to full in taste and strength. The Virginias provide the sweetness throughout and while there is a decent amount of Perique in this blend it never overpowers the taste. It?s always there in the background and weaves itself in and out through the Virginias. It has a great, lively flavor that never goes flat. Also, I never had any kind of tongue bite even though I?m sure I got it going hot a few times. The Virginias never go sour either.

The smoke aroma comes off as sweet and fruity and for some reason it smells a bit chocolaty to me. Not sure why that is or if it?s another scent that I just can?t identify but it is close to chocolaty.

Now, I know that I?m going to cause a stir by saying this but I enjoyed this more than Escudo. And the tin of Escudo that I?ve been smoking from is 4 years old. Escudo seemed to have a lot of ups and downs throughout smoking it whereas this blend is steady throughout. It burns slow and it didn?t require a lot of relights from me. With that said, this is just me and my opinion. I know that Escudo has a huge following and I?m one of them but I?m ranking this one above Escudo. Not far above.

This is an enjoyable and not overly complex smoke. It doesn't leap out at you or try anything fancy. But then, that's how things should be: relaxing and an aid to thought, not a barrage of noise and lights - like some vulgar Tate Modern installation.

It is a well-balanced tobacco with the perique weaving between the virginia, and the casing, rather than being forced to the back. Something which does happen with many others when young. Now, the casing itself, I must admit that I've been arguing with myself whether there is one there. There is a touch of what seems to be like rusty oranges and rum creeping in just before the middle of the bowl. It could be there, it could be a olfactory memory, or maybe my recent foray into neat perique. Probably the latter.

I have no idea what took me so long to finally get around to writing a review on this stuff. Sometimes, I feel that there is nothing particular of note that I can add to other reviews that will be helpful. Then again, sometimes I like simply to put in my two cents worth.

Scottish Cake is an "old timey" feeling tobacco, but not quite along the lines of the Gawith & Hogarth. In strength and character it is more like some of the Germain blends, including those made for Esoterica. But, it has a much livelier flavor than any of the offerings from this aforementioned fine company. This is a pretty straightforward, simply VA/Per blend. Nothing fancy, just good flavor and moderate nicotine strength.

In the tin, it smells delicious; sweet, tangy tobacco goodness. It lights relatively easy, and stays lit all the way to the bottom of the bowl, at which point you are going to empty out a little bit of fine white ash. The flavor is slightly sweet, slightly tangy, with a noticable perique tartness lingering in the background. What impressed me about this blend is that it is so well crafted that the flavors marry perfectly for me. All the way through the bowl, the flavors maintained their integrity without one or the other fading or dominating.

I believe the only other va/per blend I could really compare this to is Escudo. But, where the perique in Escudo can leap out at you, surprising you sometimes, in Scottish Cake it behaves very well, and stays just where it's supposed to. The virginia is nice full bodied, and it doesn't really seem to develop an acrid or ashy taste. This is a tobacco that, if you really like it, you don't have to worry about dedicating a pipe to it, as the flavors are straightforward rather than subtle. It's virginia and perique.

Scottish Cake, though not a standout tobacco in comparison with some other blends I smoke, is a very solid choice for an "anytime" smoke. I don't think I would smoke it all the time, but I could definitely smoke it anytime.

Why did i wait to try Scottish Cake? Opening the tin one is greeted with the aroma of aged virginia and an underlying scent of what i believe are cherries. Lovely brown and red hues of tobacco chunks line the tin just begging to be packed. I stuffed this in a tall billiard without any drying and was amazed at how sweet the first third of the bowl was. The second and third part of the bowl was much richer with lots of subtle nuances that can be enjoyed by blowing the smoke out through the nose ending in very fine gray ash. I agree this is too light a smoke for outdoor activities which i found out while walking the dog early this morning. I enjoyed this cake most while surfing the net and reading a book to concentrate on all the flavors.

I have a huge kick for that tobacco. How to describe it? Well, it's mild, but not really mild; almost medium but not really medium, nor mild to medium. See what I mean? No? Good, me neither, but that's the only way I can describe it ( does this description make any sense??? But it's what this tobacco is in taste strenght, hard to define).The aroma is incredible,that of the full semi-dark Virginia mixed up with the sweet-bitter chocolate smell of the Périque added in this blend ( yup, that's what it says on the bottom of the tin).I can spend minutes smelling the tin, it's just very appealing. Sweet and spicy, hard to separate each distinctly. The tobacco is also nice in its cut, it just needs a little rubbing to facilitate a better smoking. I ordered two tins and reordered another three shortly after trying it.

This tobacco doesn't particularly become stronger as you smoke it, it remains pretty steady. I'm presently building up a Peterson Racing Green P-Lip with this blend and it is not the usual unpleasant, harsh experience that it can be...I guess it's justice, for once! And it smokes pretty well in my Blatter & Blatter, which has a tendency to be a bit quirky with flakes. Of course, Scottish Cake needs to dry out a couple weeks because if the tobacco is a bit too damp, it's hard to smoke it dry all the way down. It might need successive relightings.

Scottish Cake: a beautiful tobacco, a beautiful aroma, a great satisfying smoke: this blend is never boring and complex - that's why the taste is so hard to simply describe. This tobacco is the perfect everyday smoke!

I love the fruit-like smell of an English Va/Perique mixture, and it always reminds me of Sobranie's version of it (Scottish No. 3, or something). It's here but in a softer and more subtle blend.

This version is VERY mild and soft on the palate. If you need lots of nicotine and judge blends based on that, you probably will not care for it. It is not as strong as Elizabethan Mixture, Dorchester or Irish Oak (not even close!). However it has all the character of a classic old Virginia /Perique with heat and heaviness toned down to the point where there is very little bite, and a smooth softness on the palate. Of course any tobacco will bite if drawn too hard or fast.

If you like 1792, Irish Oak, strong or sharp blends then stay away from this one.

Naturally sweet but mild matured virginia, a tame but nice winey flavor and aroma from the perique. Lovely room note, I think. Soft on the palate, not heavy in nicotine.

This is one of my favorite tobaccos. I would recommend this one for the beginner to Virginias to try. There is a little flavoring in it but hardly noticeable. I think there is a little cherry flavor in it from the tin aroma. This could very easily be an all day smoke tobacco. I'm anxious to see what it's like with a few years of age on it.

I had very high hopes for this tin. So far it has been less than anticipated. I will update this review if the airing-out smooths this one out. (6/14/05)

It has been about 5 months since my initial review. I smoked a couple of bowls today without any other tobaccos and was very pleased. A very tasty medium Virginia ready rubbed flake. The tin suggests this is a Va./Per. I didn't taste any Perique though.

I like this blend very, very much. There seems to be some confusion as to the makeup of this blend. On this site burley is mentioned; elsewhere I see it described as a VA/Perique blend. The latter seems more accurate to me. Scottish Cake to my taste is a perky little blend that makes a wonderful second course to a burley or English first course. (But not to itself: two bowls in a row, as another reviewer stated, don't work so well.) It wakes up and refreshes the palate.

This is a tobacco made to taste through the nose. Though, as other reviewers have pointed out, the taste does not change much from beginning to end (it intensifies,) that is not a drawback for me. I am not looking for a drama in three acts. But Scottish Cake is pure and lovely like a sonnet. I will buy more to age. (The tin I am just finishing has significant aging, so that should be taken into account.)

Also, Scottish Cake leaves a pleasant understated aroma behind which is not likely to bother the missus. A very nice tobacco.

This is a nice, mild smoke. Upon the initial lighting of a VA blend, the stronger blends can be a bit harsh and ?knock me back? in my chair, others that are milder, like Scottish Cake, are much kinder. This is a pleasant, gentle, sweet smoke all the way to the bottom of the bowl. Highly recommended to the smoker who wants to try a Virginia blend for the first time.

Naturaly sweet high grade Red Virginias from the eastern belt of the Carolinas, which are laced with just a little, and I do mean a small ammount of Kentucky/Tennessee white burley. When making this wonderful pipe tobacco the maker must really press the juice out of the leaves and then let it sit in the juice while it hardens. This would account for the really sweet uniformity of the leaf all the way down the bowl. The cake is broken up, and packing it one may leave it chunky or fully rub it out. I prefer to fully rub it out. It lights well, and stays lit. The flavour is sweet red virginias with a subtle burley playing way back that makes this such a wonderful smoke. I'll purchase more of this to put away in the cellar, though it needs no aging.

As described, a dark brown, rubbed out flake with few bits of lighter leaf. The tobacco in this tin is exceptionally moist, and the paper cover is damp. The smell of the tobacco tells me a sweetener has been added, a sort of faint,raisiny note. I let the tobacco dry for about fifteen minutes. It is still a bit moist, very pliable and packs easily. The smoke is a dark, mild, honeydew Virginia flavor with no bite. I do not taste the Kentucky although it may be adding some subtle roundness. This is a good smoke. It is mild but the flavor of Virginia is distinct. As I guessed it would, this smokes a bit wet and requires a pipe cleaner half way through, but the tobacco burns very well without relights or tending. This compares to Marlin Flake, perhaps a little sweeter and a little less robust. It is not in the Best Brown or Full Virginia Flake category. All in all a very tasty smoke. Highly recommended to the lover of Virginia flake tobacco. Paddy.

I find myself once again compelled to review a tobacco that I happened to grab on a whim. The tobacconist mentioned that he liked this blend and so I gave it a go. I personally really like this tobacco. It's not a hugely complex tobacco, although I find it more so than dark star or 5115. Scottish cake has a nice, even burn, which leaves the pipe clean and dry. It is moist in the tin, but I find I really have to huff on it to get any mouth heat. Frankly, this tobacco is really nice in that it isn't a constantly changing melange of flavor. That is nice sometimes, but at othe times an even, well balanced smoke is just the thing. It is slightly sweet with real tobacco flavor and typical VA flavors, though on the deep side (rather than bright.)The flavor stays consistent all the way down. This will be a regular in my rotation.

This rubbed out/broken flake is one of my favorites from the Robert McConnell line of pipe tobaccos. Various light, red and brown Virginias make up this pleasant medium to full bodied blend.

It is an attractive tobacco in the tin, sporting various colors. The cut falls somewhere between broken flake and rubbed out-- not quite fully rubbed out, but moreso than most broken flakes. Darker reds and browns predominate in this mostly Virginia blend. The Burleys that are supposed to be there are in rather small quantities it seems given the proportions of different colors.

It smokes clenly to a fluffy greyish white ash and smoke remarkably cool for a Virginia blend. There is a slight sweetness to the Virginias but it is not a particularly overriding flavor. I can also detect a slight nuttiness from time to time (probably from the small quantities of Burley).

On the whole, it is a very decent blend; there is nothing spectacularly complex or fascinating, but the flavor is pleasant and the smoking properties good. Definitely worth a look for the lover of straight Virginia blends.

Open the tin and comes out smell from vinegar and tobacco , in moist dark broken flakes. Needs to be dry some hours or else produce high temperatures and hot air without flavor . When is dry is much better , a soft sweetness from the red virginia , earthy from the kentaky and fruity from the perique all this compine from light topping . Produce many moist in the smoking . Good level nicotine is not strong is not weak . Interesting tobacco but not an all day for me .Is three stars for the taste but two stars for how is burning , in total 2,5 .

I pretty much agree with JimInks on this one; there is a touch of sweetness for a topping/casing (molasses?), and the Kentucky is pretty well hidden, but probably makes the blend a tad more interesting. The Perique is slightly more noticeable but not peppery, and the VAs form most of the bend's structure and taste. This tin at least was just right in terms of moisture, and the broken flakes pack nicely and burn fairly slow. Fans of light to moderate VaPers should give it a try. Most others probably won't be too impressed.

I've had the most the most bizarre experience with this tin, purchased one year ago from a German retailer.

When I opened it two days ago, I expected to be greeted by the raisins and molasses etc everybody is talking about here. Instead, vinegar. Sour-sweet, like balsamico, not pleasant in any case. However, I packed a small pipe, went for a walk, and was pleasantly surprised - nice, mellow Kentucky rounded up by sweet Virginia. No bite, gentle. No noticeable Perique either, but I didn't care, it was nice.

The next day, I noticed that the smell had improved, more sweet less sour, and that the flakes were darker. I packed a bigger pipe this time, expecting a better taste too, but after a while I realized... there was nothing there anymore! No Kentucky, no Virginia, no nothing, just like water steam! A faint memory of Kentucky earthiness from time to time, nothing else...

I thought: maybe it's me. Wrong day. My taste buds are on strike. Went there again this morning with the small pipe: same result. Emptiness. Where once was taste, now is a gazing black hole of nothingness. It burns well, no bite, no gurgles, but no taste and no aroma either!

So, I don't know what to think. Especially considering the reviews here. Maybe if I keep it there in the box a few months, it will improve. Maybe it's good for mixing with things that are too strong and need to be watered down. Right now though, I just feel like I want my money back.

UPDATE: Yes, it can be used to tame more rustic things such as Italian Comune with satisfying results. I would perhaps buy it again for 5-6 euros, but not for 9, certainly not for 19 (Italian ludicrous price)...

I don't know how or why this gets described as a VaPer, seems more like a virginia-kentucky blend with a hint of perique to me but YMMV.

I openned a tin a few years back and was greeted by the smell of raisins and a lightish brown broken flake. The tobacco was very sticky and damp and felt heavily cased. I wasn't particularly impressed with a couple of bowls so jarred it up and forgot about it.

Came back to it recently and was impressed. The tobacco was no longer horribly sticky, it was a couple of shades darker brown and the smell of raisins was still present. It needed a little dry time and then it packed and burned perfectly if rubbed out or left natural, I preferred it lightly rubbed.

It starts off virginia forward with a sweet, tangy flavour that's a little too rounded and rich to be a straight virginia. As the bowl goes on the sweet, tangy flavour disappears and the bowl gets richer and more earthy in flavour. In the second half of the bowl a rich sweet molasses flavour appears and disappears, it's a lovely flavour all be it fleeting.

I'm certainly going to age a couple of tins as I enjoyed it with a little age but I much prefer the first half of the bowl than the second.

A quality blend but flavor too mild for my taste. Agree with the many reviews that describe this as a pleasant but unspectacular smoke. Decent nicotine levels and nominal bite even for an aggressive smoker like me. Enjoyed the nose more than the taste. Couldn't detect much Perique, which was disappointing. May be more well suited to a straight VA smoker.

Smokes like a good sweet Virginia with the Perique just noticeable in the snork. The Kentucky boosts the nicotine a little and helps it burn a little cooler, keeping bite at bay, but I can't detect it in the smoke.

A nice, hassle free all-day smoke, which is good for Virginia lovers who can't give their full attention to the smoke or puff a bit too hard, but a little flat and lacking complexity.

Good, but no rival to ‘Hal O' the Wynd'.

UPDATE: I've smoked a few bowls of this since I wrote this review. I'm now picking up the Perique in both taste and mouth feel, so this baccy has gone up slightly in my estimations. It had also bitten me twice and one of those times VERY hard, but I think that had more to do with me pulling to hard after a few (not so wee) drams.

After trying the Robert McConnell's Red virginia i was eager to try this. I liked the red virginia alttile more then this one but i still like this one. For some strange reason the nicotine hit me hard i was alittle dizzy i dont why this rarely happens to me. But as the for blend its a very natural Va/per. The Perique is noticable and if your new to Perique blends it could be overpowering. The flavors i got was the normal natual Va/per flavors i would taste: Hay, straw, grassy, rasins, plums, figs. This would be most enjoyed outdoors. Might be to strong for the new pipe smoker. Give it a try if you like Va/pers.

I was suprised to see that Perique is added to this blend, to my taste, it seems very subdued. A very nice Virginia with a good bit of taste, along with it's partner in crime, Scottish Flake.

After a little drying time, this burns well, no bite wit enough taste and flavour to kep me intrested. They may not be in my top five Virginia's, perhaps top ten, either way, I always seem to have some on hand even if it's only two or three tins.

So I bought 6 tins of this along with 6 tins of St. James Flake. I wish that I would have had the option to order 12 tins of SJF, but what are you going to do? Otherwise I have nothing better to contribute, so I will steal Brian's review and use it as my own… A very fine blend & has plenty of reviews, note quite in my top 5 but close.

This is a high quality pipe tobacco that contains Virginia and perique, the taste is 100% natural tobacco, the Virginia is not sweet at all, perique is well balanced, overall this is a nicely balanced and natural Va/per. I prefer my VA more sweet than this one,.

I'm with a reviewer below. This is a Kentucky through and through. It should be called "Kentucky Cake". I sense no perique in this at all though I can see how the tin note might fool some as there is that waft of fig. The Va only comes through in the bottom third - perhaps that makes for a beginner Va experience. A very nice blend and I'll store some tins when I can find them as its far better than the Orlik Kentuckys. I really appreciate that it rubs out further with no qualms and lights easily straight out of a moist tin.

Soooo many Scot blends and sooo little congruity! The day I find a "Scot blend" blended in Scotland I'll say yeah...there's a "Scot blend"!

I bought this and thought I'd found heaven- then I tried Scottish Flake. The Cake is still very good tobacco. Almost unctuously rich, with a long, lingering aftertaste and good complexity of flavour, this is sweet and satisfying, without being cloying or overtopped. There is a slight, woody dryness to the smoke, which doesn't like to be rushed and I think many smokers could use this as an alternative tobacco; something to liven the palate when their stalwart blend tastes a little too standard. I can't think of this without contrasting it to the Flake, which I think is more well-rounded and better balanced, but compared to so many insulting offerings, this shines.

update: going through my reviews here, i find that i'll have to downgrade a good deal of the praise i've given so many blends. 4 stars should, i feel, be reserved for the blends i find truly exceptional. so, this is downgraded a bit. end update.

tin aroma: slightly winey, hay, classical goodness.

cut: soft, rubbed flake. golden brown.

packing/lighting: extremely easy. taste/aroma: delicious. again, very clean. it is quite mild, and i find myself puffing a good deal to get some mouth-filling smoke, but it doesn't get hot or biting. quite sweet (not solely from the virginias, i think), a little winey/fruity/citrusy, with the slightest hint of caramel/vanilla/sandalwood. no detectable added flavours but the perique, though it is very much in the background. perhaps it isn't even there, and it's just the taste of well-made, well aged, mild virginia tobacco? the taste as well as the mildness of the smoke would suggest to me that really, there's no perique here. it is certainly no perique bomb like my beloved de luxe navy rolls, nor does it contain near as much as does st. james flake. actually, i've only found one place on the internet describing it as a va-per. most people seem to think it is, though.

i like it very much but i find that i go through a tin way too fast due to its mildness (and in all fairness, its aetherical-beautiful taste). still, it is a well behaved and civilized blend, and one of the best made by k&k. it should age well.

This seems to be the most favorite RmC's baccy, it deserves indeed. I will not add any further comment, people before me said it all about the nice qualities, and I'm of those thinking there's Perique in the mix, or something darn similar. Like most of RmC's it comes quite wet inside the tin (I'm wondering why the hell should we pay for water instead of tobacco...) thus stinging the tongue if sipped fast. Mixed 50/50 with McB's Golden Blend (mostly Burley with very mild honeysh topping) makes the perfect all-day smoke, round and "regular".

In the pipe this stuff is very friendly, for sure... reminded me a bit of a Mac Baren product without the acidic bite or honey overtones. However, there isn't a huge amount of flavour here... kind of a rice-pudding atmosphere.

Anyway, this is quality stuff, everyone else seems to love it. I was hoping for a somewhat deeper tobacco.

I didn't quite like this right out of the tin for some reason. It tasted too similar to Red Virginia, which never managed to impress me much (simply too boring). However, something seems to have changed in the 3-4 months that has passed since I got the tin. It has transformed into a rich, sweet and creamy smoke. Or perhaps it's the emerging autumn, as others have suggested, it does seem to fit in better with the colder weather.

This is just a good blend, nothing special but good. The tin moisture requires some patience but I smoke while I wait so this works for me. I find this to be very straight forward, the right amount of strength and for the most part balanced. The smoke can be wispy at times but no tongue bite, pretty smooth and in the zone almost creamy.

I will not chime in on the perique debate but VAPER or not this stuff is good. The tin aroma is absolutely delicious however it does not translate into the smoke (I hate it when that happens). The mild fruit like top note in the tin reminds me of real cherries, sweet and tangy at the same time. I just love that smell. So far I have managed to get none of it up my nose but I am working real hard at it.

This blend does remind me (now) of a couple of Rattray?s offerings that I have tried as of late. Those being HOTW And Marlin Flake specifically. I don?t know if anyone else has noticed this but they are very similar in smell, taste, appearance and behavior. I assume K&P has something if not everything to do with this? Or maybe its time to bring out the denatured alcohol and erase some pipe history. I am not giving this 4 stars only because it has nothing that makes it stand out but I have gone through several tins over the last five years so I obviously like it and will order more. This blend ages very nicely as well. It makes for a great winter weather smoke and if you like straight forward viginia with a little citrus over the top give it try.

A pretty unique mixture of tasty, solid Virginias and the right amount plus a pinch of Kentucky. A slight anise casing will probably put off somebody looking for a classic VaPer away, but if you keep your mind open you're likely to enjoy this tobacco from time to time.

Like I've said, this is pretty unique and I couldn't compare it to any particular blend, although I think that two parts of Hal O' the Wynd and one part of Ashton Type 4 mixed together and left to rest for a couple of months should come very close.

A good tobacco, with a solid sweet but not cloying taste. The Virginia base stands out, quite similar in flavour to Marlin Flake (honeyed, flowey) but with a slightly smokier and woodier note (probably the Kentucky).

Being a regular smoker of McConnell's Glen Piper I thought I would give this a try given it gets such great reviews on here. Appearance and consistency in the tin is very similar to GP minus the fruit scent.

Good smooth smoke with no bite, same as GP. Decent nicotine kick. However, being a fan of aromatics, I found it a little boring towards the end of the bowl hence my three star rating.

If you're a virginia smoker this may be an excellent all dayer for you. Similarly if you like this give Glen Piper a try.

It is quite a wet tobacco when the tin is first opened. It definately benefits from a few days (closed but seal broken) drying before smoking.

The aroma of the unsmoked tobacco is excellent. It has a clean smell of tobacco, if perhaps with a mild sweetness. The sweetness is not at all fruity but rich akin to molassos, though certainly not that sugary.

The taste of the smoke is mild at first. It tends to burn a bit on the wet side but I would never call it a "wet smoker." This wetness tends to diminish towards the end of the bowl as the mildness of the smoke turns richer and moves into a medium strength range. This initial mildness makes it a good follow-up bowl after a bowl of pure virginia. That said, I find that I never enjoy an additional bowl of the Scottish Cake because the second bowl tastes bland.

I originally tried this blend about ten years ago. At the time, taken as I was by English style mixtures and not very familiar with straight Vas., I found it rather dull and mild. A change of taste over the years has allowed me to appreciate the subtler Virginia flavours, and I must say I now find this blend a very nice and intriguing change of pace. Blended with the same care and quality that Kohlhase, Kopp & Co seem to put in their Rattray?s and Astley?s renderings, Scottish Cake is a very smooth smoke, slightly tangy, providing a simple and direct tobacco flavour. IMO the Kentucky here is barely noticeable, but it does seem to give a certain roundness to the overall flavour.

I don?t think this tobacco is cased or topped (at least I could not detect any particular flavour other than natural tobacco leaf). It comes in a broken flake form, a medium to light shade of brown, very easy to further rub out if you wish so. It packs easily and it has excellent burning characteristics.

Though I do enjoy it and smoke it gladly, there is really nothing remarkable or extraordinary about SC to make it an outstanding Virginia. Lets say that it is not a tobacco you would miss terribly if it went off the market, but if you have it in hand, well, it is a very good quality smoke, somewhat muted, yet very civil and traditional. If your thing is straight Virginias give it a try.